Express couriers are a vital part of the UK’s economy. A report by York Aviation suggests that UK companies of all sizes and across multiple industry sectors are highly dependent upon the availability of a fast and reliable international express courier service. We spoke to Matthew Ware, CEO at CFL, about the role of express couriers, the growing markets, and the challenges.
Matthew, what is the state of the express courier space in the UK at the moment?
We have a very mature express courier sector in the UK and many businesses rely on it for trading in and out of the country. A key part of that is the quality of the infrastructure, but we need to note how key it is to keep investing in it, which includes a robust road network and logistics sites.
When we talk about international services, one of the big benefits is that we have Heathrow airport, which is a global connector and provides a whole variety of different options.
What should companies and the government aim for when it comes to improving the infrastructure?
We need a flexible infrastructure that is capable of dealing with growth and demand. In the UK, for example, there are aspirations to build lots of new houses, which would require warehousing space to be able to meet the demand of those living in them. You cannot build new housing without planning the logistics capacity. This is the joined up thinking we need at every part of the chain.
As I said, Heathrow is a tremendous asset to this country, but it is 40 years old. There needs to be an investment in those kinds of facilities. Private companies can do that but we need those provisions from the government too.
What areas have seen the most growth?
India has become a really important express market into the UK and is a growing one out of the UK. Similar trends are coming from Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia.
Australia used to be particularly strong, but it is not as it used to be for our customers. We have seen similar things with the USA and some of the Middle East. In general, Asian countries are performing really well.
You can listen to the full interview with Matthew Ware, CEO at CFL, covering more on how the express industry is unaffected by the current shipping crisis is affecting express couriers and the role of technology in a sector that did not pay too much attention to digitisation.✷
